1st May 2012

Black Rock Sovereign Risk Index

The BlackRock Sovereign Risk Index (BSRI) provides investors with a framework for tracking sovereign credit risk. Drawing on a pool of financial data, surveys and political insights, the BSRI assesses sovereign credit risk of 48 countries. In this quarterly
update, we highlight newcomers and discuss the biggest movers.

Our main findings are:

  • Newcomers Singapore and Taiwan parachuted into the top 10 thanks to their sterling debt profiles. Two other newcomers, Slovakia and Slovenia joined many of their eurozone colleagues in the bottom half of the index.
  • Moving up in the BSRI rankings were Germany, Peru and Colombia. Germany improved the most, thanks to an increase in perceived government stability. South Korea, Belgium and Croatia declined the most, dropping two notches each.

The BSRI uses more than 30 quantitative measures, complemented by qualitative insights from third-party sources. The index breaks down the data into four main categories that each count toward a country's final BSRI score and ranking: Fiscal Space (40%), Willingness to Pay (30%), External Finance Position (20%) and
Financial Sector Health (10%).

Read full report

Investments

Registration

Free Registration and CPD

Read More

Related Articles_

Rathbones Asset Management - The Sharpe End podcast: Fresh Intel

A month into Andy Burnham’s tenure as Prime Minister, the team are asking what he could possibly do to turn the UK economy and stock market around. Next, we explore the rally in software stocks, as improving growth expectations reignite enthusiasm for some names in the sector that many had written off just a year ago. Finally, this month’s stock spotlight is Intel – a company that helped build the modern technology industry and is now attempting an ambitious turnaround as a crucial beneficiary of the broad AI infrastructure build-out.

Read More

There's more to 'value' investing than valuations

Semantics matter. Words carry associations that can't always be neatly translated into a different cultural context. First impressions often determine whether investors are prepared to allocate money to an investment strategy.

Read More

Business Sentiment Tracker: Business confidence falls in Q2 2026

Business confidence has weakened in the second wave of YouGov's quarterly Business Sentiment Tracker, with businesses becoming less optimistic about the economy, their industries, and their own prospects.

Read More

Login

Not yet registered?

Please complete this form to join our community

Name
Email
Company
Select your role:
Password
Confirm Password